Case:
A 6 month-old male presents to the emergency room with progressively increasing work of breathing. A chest x-ray obtained shows the following:
Case courtesy of Dr Jeremy Jones, Radiopaedia.org. From the case rID: 24086
What are you concerned about?
This X-ray demonstrates cardiomegaly with prominent lung markings, which is suggestive of heart failure as the etiology of this infant’s respiratory distress.
Heart Failure in Children: The Basics
- In the US, the most common cause of pediatric heart failure is structural congenital heart disease. In children with structurally normal hearts, cardiomyopathy is the most common cause of heart failure. [Hsu et al, 2009]
- Heart failure presents when the metabolic demands of the body exceed cardiac output.
- Clinical Presentation is Diverse & Age related. [Madriago et al, 2010]
- Neonates: Feeding Difficulties and ultimately Failure to Thrive
- Older Children: Fatigue, GI symptoms, and exercise intolerance
- Physical Exam:
- “Pulmonary”: Tachypnea, Respiratory Distress (retractions, grunting), crackles on auscultation
- “Cardiac”: Tachycardia, gallop rhythm
- “GI”: hepatomegaly
Faculty Reviewer: Kristin Lombardi, MD
Radiology Reviewer: Laura Sternick, MD
References
Hsu DT et al. “Heart Failure in Children, Part I: History, etiology, and pathophysiology.” Circ Heart Fail. 2009;2:63-70
Madriago E et al. “Heart Failure in Infants and Children.” Pediatrics in Review. 2010;31(1)4-12.
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